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PrintCorn-Based Ethanol is Driving Food Prices Higher
In a recent ruling, the Environmental Protection Agency declined Gov. Perry’s request for a 50% waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandate which requires the gasoline industry to mix massive amounts of corn-based ethanol into the nation's fuel supply.
This ruling did little to change Gov. Perry’s belief that this policy continues to have a significant negative effect on one of our state’s key economic sectors: food production. This harm is then passed along to citizens of Texas and beyond in the form of higher food and fuel prices.
Considering that two-thirds of the state’s 149,000 cattle operations run less than 50 head, this ruling will be especially rough on the small family farm that is such an important part of our state’s agricultural production and culture.
Believing the corn-based ethanol debate is far from over; Gov. Perry will continue to press the issue of a comprehensive energy policy for Texas and the nation that no longer artificially props up one industry at the expense of another.
Governor's Related Priority Initiatives
- Expansion of Renewable Energy
- Increasing Energy Efficiency
- Promoting Demand Management
- Emission Reduction Efforts
Governor's Related Ethanol News
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Feb 11, 2010 - Gov. Perry Speaks at NAPE Oil and Gas Expo.
"Here in Texas, we have been building a deep and varied energy portfolio following a strategy that is both pragmatic and visionary. Around the world, Texas has a well-deserved reputation as a rich source of traditional fuels.Outsiders probably think every Texan has an oil well in the backyard and a natural gas burner in the parlor to read by.In reality, we’re proud of our history as a leading energy producer and fully-aware that those traditional energy sources are an essential part of any viable energy strategy." -
Nov 09, 2009 - Gov. Perry Touts Renewable Energy Success in Texas
"Our history is closely linked to the energy industry, and we should all take pride in our state’s legacy, of roughnecks laboring on wells outside Odessa, and machinists keeping our refineries running along the Gulf Coast. Thanks to the efforts of people like you, our energy legacy continues, while it expands with a new generation of energy producers. Wind turbines dot the plains of West Texas, a biomass power plant under construction in Nacogdoches will be one of the largest in the country, and Dow Chemical is investing in a Freeport bio-refinery that will use algae to convert wastewater and CO2 into energy. In Sunray, a Valero refinery will be powered by electricity generated from its very own wind farm. Think about that for a second: A refinery powering itself with electricity generated by the wind. Could anything paint a clearer picture of the synergy that’s possible with traditional and renewable energy sources?" -
Nov 07, 2008 - Gov. Perry Encourages Private Sector Investments in Energy Innovation
BRYAN – Gov. Rick Perry today encouraged continued investment in researching and marketing alternative energy sources as a way to move Texas and the U.S. toward energy independence at a dedication ceremony for Terrabon’s biofuels conversion facility. -
Oct 16, 2008 - Gov. Perry Addresses the Texas Chemical Council
"Do I think this is time to panic? Absolutely not, but we need to be proactive in the way we deal with the outside forces affecting our economy. Fortunately, we have been proactive throughout the years, making tough choices that have helped our state attain the overall strength we enjoy today." -
Aug 07, 2008 - Statement by Gov. Rick Perry on EPA Denial of Texas’ RFS Waiver Request
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today issued the following statement regarding the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to deny Texas’ request for a 50 percent waiver from the grain-based Renewable Fuels Standard: -
Jun 24, 2008 - Gov. Perry: Ethanol Mandate Harms Livestock, Food Industries
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Gov. Rick Perry, joined by industry leaders across the country, today urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to grant a 50 percent waiver from its Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) mandate for grain-based ethanol. Upon Gov. Perry’s initial waiver request in late April, the EPA granted a comment period to consider the appeal, which ended yesterday. A decision on the request is expected later this summer. -
Jun 02, 2008 - Gov. Rick Perry: Biofuels are the Future of Diversified Energy Portfolios
"There is no reason to waste corn on ethanol production when outfits like Green Hunter Energy are working to produce biodiesel from multiple materials, edible and non-edible, that won't harm our food supply." -
Jun 02, 2008 - Gov. Rick Perry: Wind Energy Keeps Texas' Air Clean and Our Future Bright
"Texas doesn't just believe in the potential of wind energy, we are reaping its benefits already. People who talk about wind energy as a technology of the future clearly haven't been to West Texas lately: the future of wind energy in Texas is now."